Silicon additives that don't raise Ph?

Budder Fingers

Budder Fingers

Well-Known Member
I'm looking for a silicon additive that doesnt raise Ph like Dynagro Protekt does because my water is already high ph.

I'm running 50/50 coco/perlite hempy buckets with OC+.

Thanks for any input.

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dbkick

dbkick

Well-Known Member
wonder why rhinoskin doesn't raise ph since any silica additive that is concentrated enough to do shit should raise ph. Rhinoskin is weak. Stick with the dynagro pro-tekt and invest in some advanced nutrients PH down. One of the few AN products that is very very concentrated.
 
Budder Fingers

Budder Fingers

Well-Known Member
I wanted a silicon additive because after the initial flowering stretch they flopped over when I took them out of the room, and its supposed to strengthen stems right?

I also did some crimping which worked out really well and made some tough knuckles and strengthened the stems.

Wasn't aware of any craze... I use to use budlink many years ago in Aus when growing in straight hydroton. If your growing soil-less I was taught it was helpful for stronger plants
 
Silky Shagsalot

Silky Shagsalot

Well-Known Member
there is no, "craze." silica is a great supp, and one of the few that i use throughout my grows. after adding my base nutes, my ph, "always," drops hard, like a camper in the albuquerque area desert, lol. adding pro-tekt, raises it back to where i want it. unless i screw up, i never use ph down. it's great for overall plant health too...
 
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churchhaze

Well-Known Member
How do you know it's the silicates making a difference and not the potassium?

Molar mass K2SiO3 = 152.2g/mol

Mass of 2 K atoms = 78.2g/mol
Mass of 3 O atoms = 48.0g/mol

So potassium silicate is:
78.2/152.2 = 51.4% Potassium
48.0/152.2 = 31.5% Oxygen
that leaves 17.1% Silicon

Multiply 51.4% by the conversion factor to convert K to K2O. K convert to K₂O = x 1.2

0.514 * 1.2 = 61.7.

That gives potassium silicate an NPK rating of 0-0-61.7
 
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panhead

panhead

Well-Known Member
I did the silica deal on 2 grows that came down weeks apart , grow 1 silica , grow 2 no silica , grow 3 silica , i had 8 tables going so i pulled 1 down a week , my weights with all 3 tables were within standard harvest weights of 6 to 6 & 1/4 lbs per table .

The silica plants did seem to have a different bend to snap ratio on the stalks but that same effect can be accomplished by having a fan gently moving the plants at all times .

Silica is supposed to make plants more resistant to bugs but since i didnt have bugs to start with i couldnt say , just seemed like another $$$ product that can be done without .
I quickly gave up on it , less is better unless your going 100% organic route , the simpler the better in my rooms .
 
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churchhaze

Well-Known Member
Molar mass of KOH (potassium hydroxide) = 56.1 g/mol
mass of 1 potassium = 39.1 g/mol

%K = 39.1/56.1 = 69.7%

Doing the conversion factor to convert to K2O (for NPK rating)

%K2O = 0.697 * 1.2 = 83.6%

That gives potassium hydroxide an NPK rating of 0-0-83.6

Potassium hydroxide is cheaper and higher in potassium, and doesn't leave behind silicon precipitants... so it's what I use and suggest for pH up.

Flakes is the cheapest way to get it, and the safest to store it as flakes up until usage.
 
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panhead

panhead

Well-Known Member
churchhaze said:
How do you know it's the silicates making a difference and not the potassium?

Molar mass K2SiO3 = 152.2g/mol

Mass of 2 K atoms = 78.2g/mol
Mass of 3 O atoms = 48.0g/mol

So potassium silicate is:
78.2/152.2 = 51.4% Potassium
48.0/152.2 = 31.5% Oxygen
that leaves 17.1% Silicon

Multiply 51.4% by the conversion factor to convert K to K2O. K convert to K₂O = x 1.2

0.514 * 1.2 = 61.7.

That gives potassium silicate an NPK rating of 0-0-61.7
Click to expand...
Thats a whole lotta goes-in-ta's , need some fancy book learnins to understand that stuff brother .

Its waaay over my head all those decimal points n shit .
 
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churchhaze

Well-Known Member
In short, use potassium hydroxide as pH up. :P

The point of the numbers is to put concrete... numbers... behind my reasoning. (in other words, i'm not making shit up) There are a few others here who design formulas who will understand all that molar mass stuff.
 
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Silky Shagsalot

Silky Shagsalot

Well-Known Member
churchhaze said:
How do you know it's the silicates making a difference and not the potassium?
Click to expand...
to tell you the truth, i don't really care. it (they) work fine for me, and i have no complaints. i don't grow large scale, and a bottle lasts me for many grows, and it really isn't extremely expensive. i mean $10 may be a lot for some folks, but that's not a bad price. plus, it does a lot for overall plant health, and raises my ph. i use the k.i.s.s. method, and i don't like the idea of using a straight up, ph up. we all find a method that works for us as individuals, and this works well for me...
 
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churchhaze

Well-Known Member
I'm the one using the KISS method, even if it looks like I'm making it complex.

"Just feed your plants the elements they need." is what i tell everyone. It works. KISS. Silicon is not an element plants need, or even use for that matter.. You want to raise pH? What can be more simple than KOH!

http://www.essentialdepot.com/servlet/the-13/2-lbs-Potassium-Hydroxide/Detail

2 pounds of potassium hydroxide for 10 dollars will last a LONG time. I just measure out up to a gram per DWC tote (depending on how much I need to correct pH) and throw the flakes in, then go wash my hands.

I've been using the same 500g container of potassium hydroxide flakes since 2009 and it's not even half gone yet.
 
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Silky Shagsalot

Silky Shagsalot

Well-Known Member
i don't usually waste my time trying to convince others to do things my way. i'll explain what works for me, and they can take it or leave it. i've found a method i like, end of story...
 
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churchhaze

Well-Known Member
Yeah, well silicate additives is not a KISS solution to pH being too low. Don't say my method (using pH up for pH up rather than some silicate additive) is overly complex.

And I don't think you really get it. I'm specifically trying to make a point that your method is pointless, regardless of whether you showed up or not. I asked how you can prove it's the silicates and not the potassium making the difference, and you said you don't care, you just use it as pH. Well there's this thing called pH up. The most straight forward pH up is potassium hydroxide.
 
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churchhaze

Well-Known Member
My whole point is I can't see why I'd switch to potassium silicate from potassium hydroxide when I already have a very good pH up, not that you must all switch to potassium hydroxide!

... unless I thought the silicate itself was playing a significant beneficial role... which i don't....
 
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